The present invention relates to a deployment system for parachutes and particularly relates to apparatus and methods for deploying a main parachute canopy and a pilot chute, wherein the pilot chute is drawn up close to the main parachute canopy upon deployment of the main parachute and prevented from redeploying.
While the apparatus and methods described herein have principal application to and will be described in conjunction with a ram air parachute, it will be appreciated that the system is useful with other types of parachutes. As well known, ram air parachutes include a main parachute canopy having a plurality of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending cells, each cell being defined by upper and lower surfaces of the canopy and laterally spaced sidewalls. The cells are open at the front or leading edge of the canopy and closed at the rear or trailing edge of the canopy. After canopies of this type are deployed, they will occasionally collapse from side-to-side. That is, the multi-cell compartments will collapse in a lateral direction from the opposite ends of the canopy inwardly toward the center of the canopy. Upon collapse of the canopy in this manner, it is important to prevent the pilot chute from redeploying. This is particularly significant when parachutists jump and create a multi-canopy formation. In such formation, the canopies and jumpers are essentially vertically stacked one over the other, respectively, with the higher jumper positioned forwardly of the lower jumper's canopy and shroud lines. In the event of a collapse of one or more of the canopies in a multi-canopy formation, there is substantial danger that pilot chute may redeploy and, along with the bridle, become entangled with another parachute or with another jumper creating a situation requiring each or both of the jumpers to cut away their main canopies and resort to reserve chutes. It is therefore essential to prevent the pilot chute from redeploying subsequent to deployment of the main canopy.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a deployment system which draws the pilot chute toward the main canopy upon deployment of the main canopy. This action snugs the pilot chute close to the main canopy thereby preventing redeployment of the pilot chute, particularly upon collapse of the main canopy, and avoiding any entanglement of the pilot chute with adjacent parachutes and/or jumpers when used, for example, in multi-canopy formations. This is accomplished by using the relative front-to-rear opening forces of the parachute canopy, e.g., typical of ram air parachutes, to draw the pilot chute toward the main canopy. Also, the pilot chute is less likely to redeploy, e.g., upon collapse of the main parachute, due to the tendency in most ram air parachutes to collapse from side-to-side, i.e. from its opposite ends laterally inwardly toward the canopy center.
More particularly, the pilot chute of the present invention is connected to the main canopy in a central cell thereof by means of a bridle including a suspension line connected at its forward end, i.e., the end thereof remote from the pilot chute, to a forward portion of the main canopy. This connection is preferably effected by employing a reefing ring suitably secured to the underside of the upper main canopy surface within a forward portion of the central cell. The suspension line extends rearwardly within the central cell and passes through an opening in the upper surface of the main canopy adjacent a rear portion thereof for connection with the pilot chute. Preferably, the opening is defined by a grommet forming part of the parachute deployment bag.
Additionally, within the central cell of the main canopy, there is provided, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a sleeve secured preferably to the upper surface of the canopy and within the cell. The suspension line passes from the forward portion of the canopy through the sleeve for egress from the central cell through the grommet, the latter also extending through a wall of the sleeve. The sleeve protects the main parachute against the possibility of burning the parachute material during deployment.
To use the deployment system of the present invention, the canopy of the main parachute is packed in the deployment bag parachute is packed such that the bridle of the pilot chute including the suspension line is extended to its fullest extent from the canopy and the deployment bag. To accomplish this, the reefing ring is drawn up against the grommet on the deployment bag. This locates substantially the entirety of the bridle outside of the deployment bag. Thus, when the main parachute bag containing the deployment bag is opened, the pilot chute is caught in the air stream and fully extended to pull the deployment bag from the main parachute bag. When the shroud lines of the main canopy connected to the jumper's harness become taut, deployed. When the main canopy is deployed, the relative front-to-rear opening forces of the main parachute canopy cause the front and rear portions thereof to move away from one another. This movement causes the bridle including the suspension line to be drawn inwardly through the grommet into the central cell. This, in turn, draws the pilot chute toward the main canopy. The cotton sleeve protects the parachute material from burning. Consequently, by disposing the pilot chute directly adjacent and snugged up to the main canopy upon deployment of the latter, redeployment of the pilot chute, i.e., upon endwise collapse of the main parachute is readily prevented.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a canopy deployment system for a parachute, comprising a parachute canopy including forward and rear portions thereof and a pilot chute having a suspension line. Means are provided for securing one end of the suspension line to the forward portion of the canopy and for securing the opposite end of the suspension line to the pilot chute. Means are also provided adjacent the rear portion of the canopy which define a guide for receiving the suspension line and from which the pilot chute and a portion of the suspension line may extend prior to and upon deployment of the canopy, the suspension line securing means at the forward portion and the guide at the rear portion being spaced one from the other a predetermined distance relative to the suspension line such that front-to-back opening of the canopy upon deployment of the parachute relatively displaces the securing means and the guide away from one another to locate at least the major portion of the suspension line forwardly of the guide, thereby drawing the pilot chute into close proximity to the guide.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a canopy deployment system for a ram air parachute, comprising a multi-cell ram air parachute canopy having relative front-to-back movement upon deployment thereof, a pilot chute and a suspension line connected to said pilot chute. Means are also provided for connecting the suspension line and the canopy one to the other for displacing the pilot chute toward the canopy in response to the front-to-back relative movement of said canopy upon deployment.
In a still further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a method of deploying a parachute having a pilot chute attached to the canopy of the parachute by a suspension line, comprising the steps of securing one end of the suspension line to the canopy, securing the opposite end of the suspension line to the pilot chute, deploying the parachute with relative front-to-back opening movement of the canopy and displacing the pilot chute in a direction toward the canopy in response to the relative front-to-back movement whereby the pilot chute is drawn into close proximity to the canopy upon deployment of the parachute.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel and improved apparatus and methods for deploying the main canopy of a parachute using a pilot chute wherein the pilot chute is drawn toward the main canopy upon deployment thereof to prevent redeployment of the pilot chute upon endwise collapse of the main parachute canopy.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification, appended claims and drawings.